If I Had My Time Again
by fangirlobsessions17
Summary: The future paladins have a checklist of things they need to do. 1 - punch Iverson for covering up aliens, 2 - prepare Earth for the Galra, 3 - prepare their younger selves for fighting as Voltron, 4 -save the entire God damn universe. Again. Although hopefully with a bit of extra help this time. A time travel AU to get some happy paladins (don't read if you haven't seen season 8)


**So I've just finished Season 8 and HOLY QUZNAK that was good. There are some things I liked and some things I didn't (no Klance :'( ) but I still think they did a fantastic job of it for a final season. And the ending with Shiro! I just need to go and cry and procrastinate over revising and dissertation.**

 **So I finished this in like an hour because I felt the need to write something after all that and I thought 'hey wouldn't it be cool if they all met their younger selves?' and this appeared. Anyway enjoy!**

 **I own nothing. Unfortunately**

Lance shot up as the sound of alarms blared through the room. He looked across at Hunk who was also sat up and tiredly rubbing his eyes as he glanced at the ceiling, where a bright red light was flashing.

"What's – what's going on?," he asked as they both stumbled out of bed towards the door. Both their heads poked out into the corridor where they saw other cadet heads poking out of their dorms. Down the corridor Lance noticed Pidge.

"Let's ask Pidge," he said heading back to his bed to grab a jacket. Both he and Hunk were dressed anyway as they'd been revising for the upcoming flight simulator exam and had (as always) fallen asleep in the middle of revising fully clothed. They both grabbed their jackets and headed down to where Pidge's head had disappeared.

As they arrived at her door, alarms still blaring it suddenly opened to reveal her also in her clothes. Lance raised an eyebrow.

"Was this you?"

"Why Lance you have so little faith in me," he replied with a tired smirk. Lance gave a chuckle and was about to reply when he was interrupted by an announcement.

"All staff, this is security code Zulu niner. All students, return to your dorms immediately! I repeat this is a code Zulu niner! All students return to your dorms, all staff report to your stations!" Lance looked at the ceiling, then smirked at Hunk who glanced a him fearfully.

"Oh no, no! No! We are not disobeying a direct order! I will drag you back to our room if I have to." Lance laughed, seriously Hunk needed to lighten up a little. Maybe he should say they were just going to the kitchen, and have Hunk cook is stress away. It could help him not throw up in the exam… He was interrupted by something hitting his arm. He looked down at Pidge.

"What is it?" He looked excited and slightly nauseous (maybe he should invite him along as well to a Hunk cooking session, he was always so stressed).

"Do you know what a code Zulu niner is?" Lance looked to Hunk and they both shook their heads. "It means alien contact. Guys, someone's spotted an alien ship heading to Earth."

...

After persuading hunk they wouldn't be caught (or at least giving him a good reason as to why they wouldn't be caught, namely the fact that there were alien ships – _alien ships_ – heading toward Earth), they headed out of the grounds, avoiding the patrols before making their way to a small plateau that jutted out over the area where the Garrison troops were waiting. As they reached there (their view had been disrupted by other rocks sticking out – they did have to go the long way around they wouldn't get caught. Either because of someone seeing them or hearing Hunk's constant chatter of how they were going to die or be expelled or – "Hunk! How many times do I have to say we won't get caught?! Now shut up before I make you.") Lance finally got a view of what the Garrison were so 'excited' about. His jaw dropped as he saw 5 giant robot lions land on the ground not far from the troops. He violently nudged Hunk whose jaw was also on the ground.

"Please tell me you guys are also seeing the giant robot lions that seem to be from outer space."

"Yep. Oh my gosh this is amazing! Ur first contact with aliens! Do you think they're friendly? What if they're not friendly? What if they eat our faces, or something weirdly disgusting like that? Or what if they want to drink our blood or-"

"Ok Hunk, you really need to take a chill pill. They're not going to eat our faces, and only vampires drink blood," Pidge tried to placate, but she looked just as unsure as lance knew he felt.

"BUT THEY'RE ALIENS WE DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE GOING TO DRINK OUR BLOOD!," Hunk yelled. Lance slapped a hand across \hunk's mouth.

"Yeah well if you don't shut up the entire Garrison is going to hear us, and then we'll definitely be expelled from the Garrison. So shh!" They turned back t the scene before them holding their breaths, waiting for something to happen. Nothing happened for a few minutes (although it felt like ours) until finally Iverson stepped forward with a megaphone.

"This is Commander Iverson of the Galaxy Garrison of Earth. Please step forward and identify yourselves or we will fire!" There was silence again before the loud sound of feedback emanated from one of the lions and a voice speaking in English (who knew aliens could speak English? So cool!).

"Right yeah.. Sorry about that. We're just trying to stop some people from making a dramatic entrance that will most likely get us shot." There was the faint sound of someone protesting in the background, but Lance ignored it. There was something familiar about that voice… There was a sigh before the voice spoke again, a little quieter as if he was leaning away from the comms. "Yes, lover boy, I'm talking about you. Sorry about that, we'll come out now." There was another pause. "It would be greatly appreciated if you wouldn't shoot us. Please." There was a click as the speaker shut off. There was silence, and no one moved for another 30 seconds.

All of a sudden, the lions started to kneel down, opening their mouths as they did so. Lance gaped as he snatched the binoculars from Pidge who'd had the foresight to bring them before they left. He focused them on the mouth of the black lion, trying to work out the species of alien that was emerging from the mouth of – He gasped as he realised who it was.

"Oh my God! That – that's Keith! That little-!" The binoculars where snatched from him by Hunk while Lance just sat up form their lying position trying to take it in. Keith! Keith had run from the Garrison after the whole Kerberos thing and ended up in space! How unfair was that?! Hunk suddenly gave a squeak as he swept the binoculars over the rest of the ground.

"Ok, I don't know if this is just stress but can one of you guys just tell me that what I think I'm seeing is real? Because I think exam stress has finally gotten to me. I'm going crazy…" The binoculars were snatched out of Hunks hands by Pidge before Lance could get to them, and she too scouted the ground. There was a second of silence before he took them slowly from his face, his mouth agape. Lance looked at him curiously.

"What? What is it?" Pidge handed thee binoculars to Lance. He gave them both a confused look before looking out to the field where the pilots were walking towards the Garrison command. He could see Keith, yeah but what had the others so – His heart stopped beating as he recognised the other people walking towards Iverson and the troop.

"I don't think you're going crazy Hunk," he heard Pidge say as he focused on the 5 people walking. "Because I think I'd be going crazy as well. It just isn't possible!" Lance found himself nodding vaguely in agreement. Yeah time travel should be impossible, but as he was currently staring at clearly older versions of himself, Pidge and Hunk as well as Keith and Shiro, who was he to argue with logic?

...

 _"So… Are we all in agreement?" Keith glanced round at the rest of the Paladins and the crew of the Atlas. Their journey had been a hard one and doing this could change everything… But to get an oppurtunity like this again? To save Earth from being decimated, their families from ever having to lose their children for year not knowing where they were?_

 _To give Shiro another chance? He would do it in a heartbeat._

 _The other paladins and the crew nodded in agreement. Since Allura had… Since Allura had sacrificed herself a year ago, the galaxy had gotten worse. The lions had returned after about a month from whatever it was they were doing – still no one had any idea what had happened – and since then the galaxy had gone down the drain. There were reports of stars going out across the galaxy, increasing as time went on, and of planets freezing to death as they lost their sources of light and heat._

 _Altea had been one of the first to go. It spread out like a virus. Finally a month ago Slav, Coran and Sam had worked out what was causing it. The universe was destabilizing. Despite what Allura had done, had sacrificed they infection that Honerva had started was spreading. Slowly, but still spreading. The Coalition had come together to try and sort out a solution, and the problem had grown. Where Altea once was there was now darkness. It spread across the galaxy, taking lie wherever it went, and Voltron couldn't stop it or save everyone._

 _Now here they all were, with a last ditch effort to save reality. Keith thought it was crazy but even Slav was supporting it, his weirdly crazy but happy demeanour shadowed by the destruction in the universe. He sighed as he looked at the plans for the special Teleduv again._

 _Time travel. A crazy concept only thought to be found in science fiction novels. He snorted to himself as the everyone else around him debated the matter. Then again, a few years ago travel between other dimensions was not thought possible, yet they'd been to several._

 _He started as he realised the noise had quietened down, and everyone was looking at Shiro with apprehension in their eyes. Shiro, who had seen so much and just wanted a quiet life was weighed down by much, but he still stood tall in front of everyone._

 _"Very well," he said turning halfway toward the board with all the plans on. "We travel through the Teleduv in 1 hour." He turned to the paladins. "Say your goodbyes, gather what you need. Remember, we need to persuade the Garrison that we're there to help. We may also have to convince our younger selves to fly Voltron, at least for a short amount of time. We won't interfere too much with the past, but if we can get to other places while our younger selves take o the main missions, give them hints about what to expect…" He sighed as he raked his real hand through his hair. "Alright, dismissed. Good luck everyone."_

 _..._

 _An hour later the paladins sat in their lions with tears in their eyes. Since Allura was gone they'd had to reconfigure again, so they could all take a lion. Keith remained in Black, but now Shiro was in Red and Lance in Blue. Hunk and Pidge were still in Yellow and Green. Keith sighed as he looked first at his dog (now aptly named Cosmo) before looking out of Black's view screen at the people amassed below. Thy were leaving them behind in a dying universe, but what they were about to do would set everything back to the way it was before if calculations were correct. And considering that Slav had a hand in those calculations it was highly likely that they were correct._

 _He could see Coran and Iverson, Sam, Matt and Colleen, and several of the aliens that had escaped the Darkness. He could see his mother down there too… There goodbye hadn't been tearful, but a heartfelt hug had been shared, as well as an explanation of how to gain her and the Blades trust one they returned to the beginning._

 _He sighed, turning his attention to the team._

 _"Everyone ready?" He received 4 yeses. His expression hardened as he tried not to look at the many faces below him. "Let's get going then." As hey lifted off he opened a private link to Lance. "Hey man, you alight?" lance gave a him a watery smile. Ever since Blue had accepted him back again when the lions had originally flown off, he'd been against the idea of ever becoming a paladin again. But when Blue had returned and universe was crying out for help, he'd stepped up to the duty, albeit reluctantly. Keith knew it was hard for him to be in Allura's lion, and had become Lance's shoulder to cry on whenever it got too much for him._

 _"Yeah I'm good. Just… Not looking forward to some things, but definitely looking forward to seeing Iverson's face when he sees all of us. And sees how great a pilot I've become." Lance and Keith laughed at that as they reached the Teleduv._

 _"Ok. Let me know if you need anything, ok?" lance smiled at Keith, tears in his eyes._

 _"You got it man." They all turned to the wormhole._

 _"Form Voltron!" There was a flash of light, a sense of_ rightness _, and then they were Voltron. "Alright then guys… Into the belly of the beast." They powered through the wormhole, everything disappearing in a bright flash of light._

 _..._

Keith smiled as they came within distance of Iverson and the Garrison troops. His eyes flickered over to the plateau where he knew the younger Hunk, Pidge and Lance were hiding (they didn't know about his Galra enhanced hearing obviously, but he'd signalled the team to let them know that some of their younger selves had already spotted them) before they all came to a stop a few metres from the Garrison. They must have looked a sight, he chuckled to himself – Shiro with white hair and a floating arm, Hunk looking bigger but slimmer at the same time, Pidge looking taller and finally growing her hair out (which had taken multiple threats and coercing, as well as a well-placed bet from Shiro), him with his Galra markings and longer hair (IT WAS NOT A MULLET NOW LANCE) and Lance himself with longer hair and Altean markings from whatever Allura had done in the Inbetween place.

Yeah, he was glad they didn't go ahead with lance's original plan of fireworks and a display of the capabilities of the lions.

He glanced up to see Iverson looking between them all with confusion and shock. He was looking between them all with his jaw hanging, but his gaze seemed to mostly be focused on Shiro.

"What – what in the name of – " Shiro laughed as he held out his real hand, his paladin armour sparkling in the sunlight.

"Hello Commander Iverson. Did you miss me?"

 **So. I might continue this, I might not. I have exams in January and a dissertation on geophysical exploration in Norway (yes it is as exciting as it sounds. No that's not me internally screaming at a computer screen) due in early february and it's my last year of my undergrad so AAAAAAA. If anyone wants to continue it message me and let me know. I will try and update it but no guarantees til like february.**

 **You have been warned :) reviews appreciated even if its just to tell me how awesome it is.**

 **A very stressed uni student who doesn't know completely how to adult**

 **17 x**


End file.
